When you play the Detroit Red Wings you can do a lot of things right in a game and still find a way to lose. They find a way. Good teams find a way.
Tonight the Calgary Flames, again, found a way.
The Flames, a team that is 9-1-1 in their last 11 and has only lose 4 games in regulation in their last 24 coming in … continue to find ways to win. They continue to push a streak into a team defining trend. They added another chapter tonight in an ugly win over the St. Louis Blues, popping two third period goals to erase a four day break and continue their winning ways.
On The Line
In recent seasons this section of the game takes was a duplicate each and every night. The Flames needed to win each and every game and it showed in the fact that you just couldn’t let them off when it came to setting up what was “one the line”. This season? You know what? the Flames can afford to drop a few, you hope they don’t, but they can. It’s a non divisional game with some room to move up top of the Northwest Division. Times are good.
The Flow
Was there any? For two periods the Blues and Flames flummoxed their way through a bizarre anger fest between two teams that should have little to be angry about but clash every time. The Blues scored early on a fluke bounce off of Curtis Glencross and the Flames notched the score when Mike Cammalleri sniped a powerplay goal.
In the second … more fight, but little by way of true scoring chances. Both goaltenders were strong but the game was a plod fest that seemed destined for overtime.
The third comes along and the Flames appear. A 15-4 shot margin in the third was very indicative in the play with Mason providing the defense in what appeared to be a destined Calgary victory. It took a fluke goal by the Flames to push ahead when David Moss banked the puck off a St. Louis defenseman to put the team ahead. Cammalleri added his second on a great move to salt things away.
Three Stars
1. Mike Cammalleri: Found the net twice despite off games from both his linemates; Jarome Iginla and Craig Conroy.
2. Matthew Lombardi: Picked up assists on both third period goals and was getting his nose into it on every shift.
3. Chris Mason: Fought the puck early but was the difference between a runaway third period and a close finish.
Big Save
Kind of hard not to pick Miikka Kiprusoff for save of the game since he essentially had a shut out, but other than some deft pads on some Keith Tkachuk deflections it was Chris Mason in the third that carried the day. His save on Cammalleri with the score tied at one in the third looked to be a huge difference maker in a game that quickly shifted thereafter.
Big Hit
Cam Janssen did his best to get noticed when he ran his elbow into Andre Roy’s head in the first period, reminiscent of the smash that broke Brandon Prust’s jaw earlier this season. But said infraction only resulted in two minutes and a Flames goal to erase a solid first period for the Blues. But for impact factor you have to give the nod to Eric Nystrom for running over Jeff Woywitka as the Blues defender tried to keep the puck in on a St. Louis powerplay.
The Goat
Calgary skill again …. Kiprusoff was solid and Regehr was well … Regehr, but Dion Phaneuf fought the puck and Jarome Iginla was invisible once again. Just amazing the Flames are where they are in the standings with two of their highest paid players not playing like one would suspect.
Mr. Clutch
Eric Nystrom. The guy just bring so much to each and every game. He hits like a tonne, pours his heart out killing penalties, gets in with his speed and will drop the gloves. Tough to lead from the fourth line but the guy is trying. His dad would be proud.
Odds and Ends
I don’t make 400K a season coaching NHL hockey teams but it’s clear to me that Craig Conroy is one of the best third line centers in the league but playing on the first line. Does that make sense? Nope. The man has a gripper on the ice every time he heads out with #12 and it’s hurting both of their games. Am I the only one that sees this? Lombardi may not be the answer and Langkow is doing a good job of anchoring the second line so you leave him alone. But the team has options. Move Cammalleri to center and Bourque up the left side, or put Lombardi on the left side. I don’t know, but Conroy is over his head and it’s not his fault. … Flames win, the Canucks lose so now it’s seven points with three games in hand. Hate to be cocky but that’s done. … Loved seeing Vandermeer back in the lineup, another tough SOB that is willing to do anything to win. The Flames must lead the league in guys that are willing to drop the gloves, though they lack a true heavy weight. … Interesting to see the Flames return to San Jose on Thursday night, the scene of their season turnaround. A loss there by any score won’t erase anything they’ve done in the last two months but you have to think they are looking at a better result to add to last week’s win at home against the Sharks.
Next Up
Queue the Jaws theme … da dum da dum … the Flames go back into the water in the Tank with a return engagment to the scene of the crime. Game time 8:30 on Sportsnet. Blood in the water.
Lines (To Start):
Cammalleri – Conroy – Iginla
Bourque – Langkow – Boyd
Glencross – Lombardi – Moss
Vandermeer – Nystrom – Roy
Phaneuf – Pardy
Regehr – Aucoin
Sarich – Giordano
Kiprusoff
